Keeping cool in summer costs consumers in Scotland £517

Around half of Scots cannot sleep during the summer months and nearly a third find it hard to concentrate.

Published:16:35Monday 15 August 2016

Tossing and turning on a sticky night or sweltering in an office, high temperatures during the summer are having a negative impact on consumers in Scotland.

Whilst around half (48 per cent) of people say they are prevented from sleeping, nearly a third (30 per cent) claim their productivity at work goes down due to a lack of concentration.

A further 13 per cent even become hot-headed as the heat makes them angry and frustrated.

Research from TopCashback.co.uk, the UK’s most generous cashback site, reveals that uncomfortable summer days are costing Scots up to £517 as they attempt to keep cool. Consumers turn to both immediate and longer-term solutions, spending £59 and £141 respectively.

Looking for instant solutions to the hot weather, consumers reach for items such as plug-in electric fans (38 per cent), cooling sprays (21 per cent) and ice packs (15 per cent). An additional 10 per cent even splash out on paddling pools.

Aware of how the summer months affect them, Scots are also using longer-term fixes to keep them cool with more than half (53 per cent) stocking up on thinner duvets and 15 per cent on cooling pillows. Keen to get some fresh air, eight per cent of consumers have bought a plug-in air conditioning unit and six per cent have installed a ceiling fan. Four per cent have even gone to the length of having a swimming pool built at their home in the hope that a quick dip will refresh them.

The survey of consumers in Scotland also finds that keeping cool is increasing energy bills. Those who have plug-in and ceiling fans see an average increase of £38 over summer, and those who have installed air conditioning systems or units see their bill jump up by £54. Despite the increases in costs, nearly two fifths (38 per cent) of people are happy for their bills to go up if it results in keeping the temperature down.

In traditional getting-ready-for-summer style, Scots also spend £46 more a month on grooming. And with Instagram feeds full of festival and beach fashion, perhaps it is in a bid to look cool rather than stay cool that consumers are spending, on average, £153 on a new summer wardrobe. Grocery bills also spike by £26 a month during the summer season as consumers opt for fresh, fancy salads over hearty, and often cheaper, warming meals.

Natasha Rachel Smith, Consumer Affairs Editor for TopCashback.co.uk said: “Feeling frustrated by sticky summers is causing Scots to reach for quick fixes. Yet, those summer heat splurges may be frivolous. Our research shows more than a quarter of people in Scotland haven’t used the items they bought to keep cool because temperatures didn’t spike as they expected. Similarly, 24 per cent of people say they’ve purchased products on impulse and an equal number admit they often forget about the items they acquired.

“We always remind our members to be careful with their spending and take the time to think about the items they actually need and will use. Once consumers have decided on the products that work for them, there are often discounts, voucher codes and cashback deals to bring down costs.”

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